April 27, 2022

City of Spokane Valley adopts resolution thanking 4th District Legislators

City of Spokane Valley hereby recognizes, commends, and appreciates 4th District legislators Senator Mike Padden, Representative Bob McCaslin, Jr., and Representative Rob Chase for their continued support and endorsement of the City of Spokane Valley. Click here to watch the reading of the resolution and comments from the lawmakers.  Senator...
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April 19, 2022

Alarming statistics make case for property-crime crackdown, Padden says

As vehicle thefts double and property crimes spike, Spokane Valley senator proposes course correction on public safety, including longer sentences for habitual offenders OLYMPIA – The rate of car theft has nearly doubled in the past year, according to the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs, and Sen. Mike...
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April 14, 2022

Crime and inflation both on the rise

It’s been about a month since we wrapped up the 2022 legislative session, and a good point to step back and look at the impact this session had on you and your family. Soon, you should expect to see our full 4th District Session Review newsletter in your mail. It...
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March 10, 2022

The end is near…

The end is near. If all goes as planned the regular 2022 legislative session will reach its scheduled conclusion later today. In 1866, as Surrogate of New York County, Gideon John Tucker famously wrote: “No man’s life, liberty or property is safe while the Legislature is in session.” Well, soon...
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March 09, 2022

Fourth District lawmakers secure funding for local projects in supplemental capital budget

Today the Legislature approved mid-cycle updates to the state’s 2021-23 capital budget, which will fund several projects important to the 4th Legislative District. Senate Bill 5651 was passed by the House of Representatives on Tuesday by a vote of 98-0, and cleared the Senate unanimously today. In the supplemental plan,...
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March 04, 2022

Senate Republicans push police use-of-force reform across the finish line

Last year, the Democrat-led majority in the Washington State Legislature pushed a police-reform agenda that many in the public and law enforcement have argued is proving to be unworkable and dangerous. Law-enforcement agencies across the state have spoken out on how the new laws are making it difficult and, in...
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March 03, 2022

Where’s the emergency, Governor?

The 2022 session train keeps chugging along, and the end of the line is in sight. We have exactly one week to go until the scheduled end of this year’s regular session. Tomorrow is the final cut-off deadline to approve bills that originated in the House of Representatives, and for...
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February 25, 2022

Budget week in Olympia

As we enter the homestretch of the 2022 legislative session, it’s budget week in Olympia. In odd-numbered years, the Legislature is required to create and pass three budgets: an operating budget, a transportation budget, and a capital budget. In the even-numbered years, like this one, lawmakers use the short session...
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February 17, 2022

Survivor Olympia… which bills have survived the voting deadline

As we wrap up the sixth week of this 2022 legislative session, we have now passed the “cutoff” for Senate policy bills to move forward from the Senate, and likewise for bills in the House of Representatives. The good news: Some really good Senate bills survived the voting deadline and...
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